MINERSVILLE - The Minersville Area School District now has a memorial commemorating two men who helped make the school's softball program into what it is today.
The memorial, placed at the right-field entrance to the field, contains two plaques honoring longtime former coaches Ken Schneck and John Federovich.
Jen Laudeman, business manager, said Wednesday that while the memorial was meant to be completed and presented May 3 at the last home game, there were some setbacks with the brick work.
"For the work that Mr. Schneck and Mr. Fed put into the program, we wanted to recognize their efforts," Laudeman said. "They would never take recognition the way that they should have when they were with us."
Schneck was a guiding force in the rise of the Big Blue Machine, leading the Miners to six state championships and more than 500 wins.
He died at the age of 74 on Jan. 26, 2011, while a resident of Tremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
When Schneck took over the program in 1976, Title IX was in its infancy and girls' sports were not nearly as organized, established and respected as they are today.
Known affectionately as "Pop," Schneck served as head coach for 26 seasons, posting a record of 546-103 (.841) and capturing state championships in 1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1993 and 1999. Since then, Minersville added state softball championships in 2005 and 2011, bringing the program's total to eight.
Along the way, Schneck went 37-10 in state playoff games, won 13 District 11 championships, 23 Schuylkill League division titles and compiled a 58-10 record in district play.
Off the field, he was a longtime guidance counselor at Minersville high school and used his positions of counselor and coach to help his girls get into college and build successful lives.
Federovich, who died April 26, 2012, at the age of 61, started as a Little League girls' softball coach, then became one of the finest pitching coaches for years, not only for the Miners but also for anyone in the area who wanted to learn the skill of pitching.
Known as "Mr. Fed," Federovich worked with many young pitchers who came up through the 1980s and 1990s.
Laudeman said he was a pioneer developing windmill pitching.
"The softball program grew to become a premier program," Superintendent M. Joseph Brady said Wednesday. "It simply was outstanding. The school is very proud of the record it has. I think of all the sports offered here, the softball program has won more championships than any other sport."
According to Laudeman, the effort for the memorial came from the Minersville Softball Alumni, which she helps manage, along with Jodi Kuehn Adams and Katie Rowlands Carr.
The alumni raised about $5,000 for the project.
The total cost of the project was about $3,000, about $2,000 for the plaques and $1,000 for the materials such as bricks.
James W. Quandel & Sons Inc. donated concrete for the project, while Carr Construction constructed the memorial.
Laudeman said that numerous alumni were responsible for working the fundraisers, selling license plates and T-shirts and helping at spaghetti dinners.
The remaining funds raised will go back to the softball program to purchase equipment and benefit the $100 scholarship given to a senior girl each year.